Iran Focus: London, Aug. 01 – Anti-riot units and Special Forces barged into Tehran’s notorious Evin Prison after learning that prisoners in Ward 350 had staged a mass hunger strike, the Arabic-language satellite channel, Al-Arabiya, reported on Sunday.
Iran guards attack political prisoners on hunger strike in Evin
Iraq unlikely to allow Iran banks due to sanctions
Reuters: Two Iranian banks seeking to open branches in Iraq are unlikely to get government approval due to economic sanctions imposed on Tehran in a row over its nuclear programme, an Iraqi central bank official said on Sunday.
Mullen says US has Iran strike plan, just in case
AP: The chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff says the U.S. military has a plan to attack Iran, although he thinks a strike is probably a bad idea.
Mistaken as an Iranian martyr, then hounded
New York Times: Zahra Soltani, whom everyone calls Neda, will never forget the day she saw her death announced on television, accompanied by the picture she had posted on her Facebook page.
Iran says it will set Tel Aviv ablaze if attacked
AFP: Iran will set Tel Aviv on fire if Israel attacks the Islamic republic over its controversial nuclear programme, newspapers on Sunday quoted Iran’s envoy to the United Nations as saying.
Iraqis don’t expect political impasse to be resolved by fall
Washington Post: Nearly five months after disputed parliamentary elections, leading Iraqi politicians say they have all but abandoned hope of resolving an impasse over forming a new government before fall.
Iran resumes gas exports to Turkey – gas official
Reuters: Iranian natural gas began flowing to Turkey again on Saturday after a damaged pipeline linking the two countries was repaired, the Iranian oil ministry news website SHANA reported.
Diplomat: ‘Ghosts in the room’ plague U.S., Iran
NPR: John Limbert has deep roots in Iran. Three decades ago, he was one of the 52 Americans taken captive in Tehran during the Islamic Revolution. And last year, he came out of diplomatic retirement to become the State Department’s point man on Iran.
Iran says 3 Americans should stand trial
AP: Iran reiterated on Sunday that three Americans jailed a year ago should stand trial on charges of illegally crossing the country’s borders.
Iraq Shi’ite bloc rejects incumbent Maliki as PM
Reuters: One of Iraq’s main Shi’ite political blocs has rejected Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki’s claim to a second term and halted government formation talks until his party nominates a new candidate, politicians said.
